Monday, 16 August 2010

Round to Matt's for a game of 'In The Grand Manner' his favorite set of Napoleonic rules. Set in an undisclosed place in the Peninsular (Iberian not Furness), the French have launched a surprise attack against the allied flank. The Spanish forces had been given the job of holding a farm on that flank, or, given the disparity in the sizes of the forces engaging, at least delaying the oncoming French advance.

Both sets of Spanish guns soon ran victim to the French cavalry, who's very weight of numbers made the artillery fire ineffective against them. With no other troops really capable of defending them they were simply overwhelmed.

The Rifles (not Sharpe's bunch, despite having an Harper-like figure amongst their numbers) were not too successful to start with, trading fire with some skirmishers as the French attempted to seize the church that was key to the high ground overlooking the village and also the river crossing.

The attempt by the French to take a shortcut and storm across the bridge failed abruptly as the British artillery in the village opened up on the forces trying to force the crossing.

The Spanish, despite being behind the protection of some walls in the fields, soon fell victim to the French columns, but did inflict a number of casualties. The Forces in the Farm itself managed to hold on for a bit longer before they followed their brethren off the battlefield.

The British forces in the village were stationary throughout the game. They represented the units on the leftmost flank of the main British force on the peninsular.

The Cavalry of the KGL did start to move forward towards the crest as the threat to the Horse Artillery from the French cavalry became apparent.

The French infantry finally managed to force their way into the church despite the best efforts of the Rifles.

Despite localised fighting continuing around the Church, it was clear that the French would soon be able to seize the high ground, and once their artillery moved into position the situation for the British in the Village would be untenable.